Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Members of the 3D Trio (John Borello at right, Alona Kuhns at center and Lonnie Froman at left) perform this afternoon on a stage on Main Street in Albion.

With the lift bridge bridge closed to traffic, the stage was set up for performances from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. between Beaver Alley and Bank Street.

The 3D Trio who are all members of the Who Dats sang holiday favorites today. The lineup of performers was arranged by Amy Sidari, owner of Gtta Dance by Miss Amy.

She used the backdrop from previous Nicholas Kovaleski Hometown Christmas events.

Amy Sidari and Crystal Hollenbeck lead a group in line dancing as part of today’s entertainment. The performers helped celebrate Small Business Saturday to encourage shopping at locally owned businesses in Albion. The businesses had a passport that encouraged people to visit 20 businesses for the chance to win prizes.

These four competed in an ugly contest. They include from left: Lily Madison of Albion, Brooklyn Carr, Joline Gabrielson of Albion, and Gabrielson’s daughter, Myah Bisig.

Myah Bisig holds up her trophy for winning the ugly sweater contest.

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Aidan Paul, 17, of Medina wears the Santa suit in today’s Home for the Holidays 5K in Medina. He is running down the last stretch of the 3.1-mile course with Kathy Jurs of Albion, who is pushing her son Mason in a stroller.

There were 113 participants in today’s 5K, which was the 10^th anniversary of the event.

Jim Schuler of Newfane won the male division in a time of 18:45 while Payton Smith of Hermosa Beach, Calif. was the first woman in a time of 22:32.

Photos courtesy of Marsha Rivers

Debbie Tompkins, co-director of the race with Teresa Wilkins, served as the starter for the race that began in the Canal Basin and headed east and north, before making a turn near the Bates Road canal bridge and heading back east.

Lathan McEwen-Miller, 13, of Medina is off to a fast start at today’s Home for the Holidays 5K.

Jeremy Weakland of Gasport carries the American flag while finishing the 5K this morning on North Main Street in front of the American Legion Post.

Photos by Tom Rivers

Christopher Richard of St. Catherines, Ontario, is dressed in holiday cheer for today’s Home for the Holidays 5K.

Santa feels victorious in today’s 5K. He circled back a couple times and high-fived some youngsters along the course.

Proceeds from today’s race will be given to Cat by Cat Inc., led by Shannon Blount in Medina. The group in Medina works to humanely “TNVR” cats through targeted trapping. Those cats are then neutered, vaccinated and either returned or adopted out.

GAINES – In 2020, Amanda Mrzywka was prepared for a busy season at festivals and craft shows, selling her vegan soaps, which are made without any animal byproducts.

But the craft shows and festivals were all nearly cancelled that year, due to restrictions and concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mrzywka, one of the owners at Navarra’s Farm Market and Greenhouses, said crafters were all feeling the financial strain from losing those shows.

“It was definitely a heartache when you think you’ll have all these craft shows and then there is nothing,” she said.

Mrzywka decided to try having a small craft show at Navarra’s, using one of the greenhouses. That first time there were 16 crafters.

It worked out well for the vendors who were in a heated spot, and could keep their items on location for multiple days. Mrzywka set up a code system to track what was sold without the vendors have to be there all the time.

The co-op also was popular with customers.

“It’s a fun place to find unique and hand-crafted items,” Mrzywka said.

Jenna (Mrzywka) Pugh holds some of the creations she made as one of the vendors at the market. She uses old barn wood to make the Christmas characters.

The co-op grew to 67 vendors in 2021, the second season, and now has 96 with a waiting list for more.

Two of the greenhouses at Navarra’s are filled with stocking stuffers and other creations. Mrzywka expects a third greenhouse will be used for the co-op next year. She would also like to add food trucks and have the co-op become an even bigger holiday shopping destination.

The vendors have been busy making products with a Christmas theme, featuring many holiday characters such as Santa, Rudolph, Frosty and the Grinch. There are also a lot of Buffalo Bills items.

“There is some very creative stuff in here,” Mrzywka said.

The co-op is open from Thursday through Sunday for five weekends – from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Nov. 25-27, Dec. 1-4, Dec. 8-11, Dec. 15-18, Dec. 22-24.

Amanda Mrzywka holds some of her vegan soaps that are for sale at Navarra’s Christmas Co-op.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Jeremiah Knight of Albion put a 3-inch border around the 24-foot-long mural of Santa flying in sleigh above Albion.

Knight completed the project earlier this week. The frame will protect the outer edges of the mural that was installed in July 2018 in Waterman Park. Stacey Kirby created the mural, which is 8 feet high.

The Albion Rotary Club led the initial project. The Albion Betterment Committee paid for the new frame. The Betterment Committee also is working to have a bronze statue of Santa at the park next year, with the goal to have it in place by the Strawberry Festival in June.

The mural and statue commemorate the life and work of Charles W. Howard. In 1937, Howard founded a Santa Claus School in Albion, dedicating his life to establishing a high standard for Santas everywhere.

“To play the part of Santa is a privilege, not a job,” Howard said.

Howard served as the Santa in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for nearly 20 years. Howard died in 1966 but the Santa school continues today in his name in Midland, Mich.

Here is how the mural looked before the new frame was added.

ALBION – Party Tyme Rentals, located on the second floor of the Arnold Gregory Complex, will again host their Winter Wonderland on Dec. 10.

The free community event was started by Christine Nenni and Michelle Wiseman three years ago at their home on State Street in Medina.

Wooden soldiers guard the door of Party Tyme Rentals on the second floor of the Arnold Gregory Complex, where children can drop their letters to Santa in the Santa mailbox.

This year’s event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature gifts, crafts, family fun, sleigh rides, hot cocoa and the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who. Santa will arrive by fire truck at 1 p.m.

Also this year, Nenni, who recently graduated from the Microenterprise Assistance Program, has recruited several fellow graduates with prospective new businesses to help with the festivities.

They are Brandi DiMatteo, owner of Yolo Events, who is helping with the planning and some of the creative crafts for children; Mindy Warne, owner of Maws Photography, who will be taking pictures throughout the day; and Jordan Gawne, owner of Cakes Be Gawne, who will be making cookies for a cookie decorating activity. Also, Air Raising Events owner Cheryl Watts will be at the event doing face painting and creating balloon animals.

Frosty and Friends, a non-profit organization,, has been helping to secure donations and will be doing activities with the children the day of the event, Nenni said.

Party Tyme Rentals also has a Santa mailbox located outside their door, where children can drop in their letters to Santa.

The Winter Wonderland event receives community support from NYSCOPBA, Ace Hardware, Gallo’s Bar and Grill in Hamlin, Sewing with a Twist, Marines Toys for Tots and DeGeorge Property Group.

Takeform will debut new sleigh carrying Santa to culminate the parade

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Metz’s Family Christmas won the grand champion and the $500 top prize in last year’s parade on Nov. 27, 2021. The Medina Railroad Museum was the grand champion the previous two years.

MEDINA – There are about 40 entries signed up for Saturday’s Parade of Lights in Medina. This is the 14^th annual parade.

The parade starts at 6 p.m. and this year will include the debut of an extravagant new sleigh carrying Santa. That sleigh has been created by Takeform.

Takeform representatives will present a key to the sleigh to Mayor Mike Sidari at 5:15 p.m. at Rotary Park. The sleigh will be given to the village to be used in future parades.

Georgia Thomas is the parade’s grand marshal. She will help light the community Christmas tree at 5:30 p.m. At 5:45, there will be a fireworks display and then the lighted floats will start their journey at 6 p.m. from Park Avenue to Main Street.

Click here to see the full day’s schedule for Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas celebration.

The float for the Metz’s Family Christmas is shown in the staging and setup area at the Olde Pickle Factory before the start of the parade about a year ago.

Wages can’t be garnished, liens placed on homes for medical bills

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed legislation (S.6522A/A.7363A) to protect patients facing steep medical bills that can lead to wage garnishment or liens against their property.

“No one should face the threat of losing their home or falling into further debt after seeking medical care,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m proud to sign legislation today that will end this harmful and predatory collection practice to help protect New Yorkers from these unfair penalties. With medical debt a burden for far too many, this is an important step to address this crucial issue.”

Legislation (S.6522A/A.7363A) amends the civil practice law and rules to prohibit health care providers from placing home liens on an individual’s primary residence or garnishing wages to collect on medical debt.

Nearly half of American adults struggle to afford health care costs, and more than 50,000 New Yorkers have been sued for medical debt over the past five years; this problem is most pervasive in Upstate New York.

Previously, hospitals or health care providers had been able to impose and enforce liens on a patient’s primary residence to satisfy a judgment in a medical debt lawsuit, leading to housing instability and devastating financial consequences for vulnerable New Yorkers.

“New Yorkers should not fear losing their homes or livelihoods as a result of seeking medical care, especially during such challenging financial times,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. “I want to thank Governor Hochul for signing my bill into law to protect New Yorkers from facing liens on their homes or wage garnishment by medical institutions in their effort to collect medical debt. We must work together to eradicate medical debt from our State and I am thrilled that we are taking this important first step.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – The Village of Holley’s Electric Department has added red and green LED lights in the Public Square for the holiday season.

Holley will have its annual tree-lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. The village is selling memory bulbs for $5 for the tree until 4 p.m. on Dec. 2.

There will be Scouts caroling in the Public Square beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 3, followed by the high school choir at 6 p.m. in front of Red White and Moo.

After the names are read for the memory bulbs, there will be a visit from Santa and refreshments provided by the Holley Fire Department.

The Town of Murray also has put Christmas lights on the sign in front of the town hall at 3840 Fancher Rd.

There also is a Christmas tree lighted up at one of the Town of Murray’s highway barns.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The at the Masonic Lodge in Albion poses in the kitchen after they served 182 Thanksgiving dinners.

The Renovation Masonic Lodge teamed with The Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries to prepare and serve the meals. Pictured in front from left include Lisa DeCarlo, Val Rush and Bonnie Johnson. Back row: Dan DeCarlo, Pastor Al Wilson, Ykeeta Wilson, Decklan Meiers, Nicole Horn and Jeff Holler.

Provided photos

Many of the meals were takeouts were delivered to local EMTs, law enforcement officers, Arc residences and the Boxcar Apartments.

Jeff Holler and Nicole Horn fill a takeout tray with food.

Photos by Tom Rivers

Lee Tisdale, owner of Romyn’s Smoked BBQ on Bank Street, also served Thanksgiving meals for free today. He was up to 23 meals at about 2 this afternoon and would be open until 6 p.m.

Tisdale opened Romyn’s about three years ago. He serves barbecued food, as well as Philly steaks, hamburgers and other food.

“This is just a way to give back to the community and thank you for their support,” Tisdale said.

The Orleans Koinonia Kitchen at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Albion also had 350 meals ready to be served today for the community.

Stage will be set up on Main Street near bridge for performers

Photo by Tom Rivers: There will be a stage set up Saturday in this part of Main Street, near the closed off lift bridge, for performers from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ALBION – Merchants are planning an expanded Small Business Saturday celebration in Albion to encourage people to stop by the local shops.

There will be activities in the downtown and also at the Arnold Gregory Complex on South Main Street. The businesses at Arnold Gregory will have a craft sale, basket raffle and will welcome many vendors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The downtown businesses will be offering specials and welcome people to check out the locally owned shops.

“We have a lot of amazing businesses that other places don’t have,” said Laura Kemler, owner of Laura Loxley which makes hand-dyed baskets, purses and vintage items. “People will be surprised by what we have to offer.”

The Main Street lift bridge closed to traffic on Nov. 14 and expected to be shut down for 18 months for a major restoration. Merchants are hoping one silver lining of the project may be it will slow down traffic so people can check out the businesses in the downtown area and also see what is offered at Arnold Gregory. (The businesses also are planning a Hometown Holiday event on Dec. 10.)

For this Saturday there will be a stage set up Main Street between Bank Street and Beaver Alley. Amy Sidari, owner of Gotta Dance by Miss Amy, has performers lined up from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The schedule includes:

• 10 a.m. – Albion High School Clarinet Choir
• 10:30 a.m. – AHS Brass Ensemble
• 11 a.m. – Danielle Schmidt vocal soloist
• 11:15 a.m. – Historic trivia/Pack 164 Boy Scouts skit
• 11:30 a.m. – Celebrate Jonathan Doherty’s memory with karaoke
• Noon – Holiday Tap Dance – Sleigh Ride
• 12:15 p.m. – Historic Trivia
• 12:30 p.m. – Ugly Sweater Parade (meet on the stage – everyone welcome)
• 1 p.m. – Music by the 3D Trio (John Borello, Alona Kuhns and Lonnie Froman)
• 1:30 p.m. – Line dancing with Miss Gloria
• 2 p.m. – Excerpt of the Nutcracker (Snowflakes)
• 2:15 p.m. – Excerpt of the Nutcracker (Flowers)
• 2:30 p.m. – Julia Fuller & Isabelle Truelson Dance Duet
• 2:25 p.m. – Jenna Uderitz dance solo to Holly Jolly Christmas
• 2:30 p.m. – Holiday music
• 3 p.m. – Mia Standish dance solo
• 3:15 – Line dancing with Miss Gloria

Sidari, owner of the dance studio for 25 years, hopes people will enjoy the performers and also explore the downtown businesses.

“This is an opportunity to get acquainted and get to know us,” she said about the businesses. “We want people to enjoy our downtown. People come here and say it’s a beautiful little village – It’s charming.”

Tara Thom, owner of the Town and Country Quilt Shop on Bank Street, said the businesses offer goods and services throughout the year. She would like to see people from outside Albion also shop in the community.

“I’m hoping people will get excited about shopping in their hometown or their neighboring hometown,” Thom said.

The unemployment rate in Orleans County is at the lowest level in recent recorded history. The state Department of Labor reports the unemployment rate for the county was at 2.5 percent in October. That is the lowest in the 32 years the state has been tracking the data.

The previous low was 3.2 percent in September 2022 and also in December 2021.

The rate 2.5 percent rate for Orleans County is down from 3.7 percent in October 2021. The DOL reports there were 16,600 people working in the county in October, up by 400 from the 16,200 in October 2021. The number on unemployment dropped from 600 to 400 in that time.

The unemployment rates in other nearby counties includes: 2.1 percent in Genesee, 2.8 percent in Niagara, 2.2 percent in Livingston, 2.1 percent in Wyoming, 2.6 percent in Monroe, and 2.7 percent in Erie.

Columbia and Saratoga counties have the lowest unemployment rates in the state at 1.9 percent, while the rate is the highest in the Bronx at 7.4 percent.

Statewide the unemployment rate is at 4.4 percent in October, up from 4 .3 percent the previous month.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $9 million in state funding for a loan repayment program to help community mental health agencies recruit and retain psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners.

Administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health, the Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program will provide loan repayments of up to $120,000 for psychiatrists and $30,000 for psychiatric nurse practitioners, provided they remain employed by licensed community mental health programs for three years.

“Part of the largest ever investment in health care, the Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program will allow us to build a more equitable health care system,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will provide our partners in communities across the state with the resources they need to attract top-tier workers and then keep them employed in our state, so we can grow our workforce and ensure all New Yorkers have access to the highest quality of care.”

Both newly hired psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners and those existing on staff –including part-time employees – at licensed community mental health programs are eligible to receive repayment awards. Workers awarded funds through the loan repayment program must fulfill a three-year service obligation to their employer and will receive one-third of their total award annually over those three years.

Eligible psychiatrists may receive up to $120,000, while eligible psychiatric nurse practitioners may receive up to $30,000. Providers may apply for loan repayment on behalf of their staff, with applications reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis for as long as funding remains available.

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Community-based mental health care providers continue to be impacted by the nationwide shortage of healthcare workers, and the demand for psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners continues to grow. The Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program will help our partners meet this growing demand by helping to attract and retain these essential professionals.”

Inpatient and comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs eligible for the program include licensed providers of Article 28 hospital inpatient psychiatric units, Article 31 freestanding inpatient hospital programs and comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs. Also eligible are licensed Article 31 outpatient programs, including assertive community treatment teams, continuing day treatment, children’s day treatment, partial hospitalization, personalized recover-oriented services, and mental health outpatient treatment and rehabilitative services.

Additional information on OMH’s Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program can be found on the OMH website.